mariefl's Cancer Blog
October 29, 2007
| I need advice/Help | Views: 895 |
So I am here for my mother blogging. She is doing radiation and chemo and has done only 1 month of chemo and almost 3 weeks of radiation complete. We have my mom on an alternative immuno treatment. I have a friend from Argentina who’s uncle was terminally ill and other family members who had different types of cancers and they did the conventional treatments (chemo/radiation) well when nothing worked they did this alternative immuno treatment that is from a real hospital for Onconology that does studies it isnt some weird questional herbal suppliment. Anyways they were all cured in 4 months. YES competely cured no cancer nothing. As soon as he found out my mother had lung cancer we got it shiped in for my mom and started her 2 weeks before she started her chemo radiation, its susposed to work with your regular treatments.
I know this within 3 days of my mom taking this the pain in her back from the lung went away. After 2 weeks she was breathing much better then before meaning the tumor was shrinking. 2 weeks after that she had her CT scan and her tumor had shrunk 50%! The doctors coulnt explain it. They just said well this could happen but apparrently doesnt usually.
My question is my sister is adament on my mom stopping the chemo immediately. She thinks we should just finish the radiation and continue with the alternative meds and thats it. She doesnt believe my mom can take much more of it even though she is doing great. I mean she isnt perfect her white blood count went down and she is receiving shots for that and they cause her to be in horrible pain all over. Pain meds help with that, her hair is almost gone and she is tired a lot but all these things were to be expected. She is still driving and functioning normal despite her bad or unpleasent days.
My sister reads a lot about people saying chemo is poison and works againt you promoting cancer to grow and spread by killing all the immunity in your body. That the doctors dont know if the chemo even works they just give it to you like text book cases. I dont think she should stop I mean she is do as good, even better then I thought and there still is the other 50% of the cancer left. I dont want to gamble with my mothers life.
I wanted to know from people who have been on chemo for a while and what they think about its pros/cons. Is it crazy to put my mom through this ruin her quality of life cause the next round is going to be harder on her or do we stop?
ANY input would be great! thanks!
08.16.08 - 
Thanks for your support -
Hi Marie…I’m sorry your mother is going through this but at the same time, I’m elated that she’s doing so good on the alternative treatment.
It’s tough to give you advice because, as you said, your mother’s life hangs in the balance. I can, however, discuss with you my experience with it and my knowledge of chemo treatments. I’m sure others will be able to do the same but despite all the pros and cons of chemo and its impact on the body, I can only say that this is a decision that only you and your family will need to pray about and then…go with your gut. If your gut instinct says to stop the chemo treatments, even though your mother is doing okay, then do it.
On my first bout with cancer, I went through five rounds of hard chemo. According to the doctors, I handled it better than the average patient but it was still hard. I was fortunate not to be bed-ridden like other patients but the side effects still hit me hard.
I had read that chemo robs your body of vital nutrients so I compensated by taking heavy doses of vitamins B & C and multivitamins. I don’t know if the vitamins were the main reason why chemo didn’t incapacitate me but I do know they played a part.
During this bout with cancer, I’m on my 5th cycle with chemo pills. Again, I’m not doing anything different than the first time. I’m taking heavy doses of vitamins along with the chemo pills. I can still feel the side effects but the damage is minor.
I don’t know if what I said at all helps but my prayers are with you and your family for continued healing and guidance.
Grace
Marie – Glad you have some good news with your mom progress. and glad you are asking around about treatment. The more you find out hopefully the easier it will be to make a decision. I am not sure what to tell you. I see pros of staying on chemo and pros going off. Not much help, but just wanted you to know we are all here to for you and your mother.
Well we saw my moms oncologist today all good news. My mother’s white blood count is back up way high to 45 after 5 rounds of shots which is awesome! Doc says she is ready for the 2nd round of chemo which starts on the 7th. She was very adament on my mom not stopping the chemo that if she did the cancer would mutate and be resistent to the chemo which we do not want. She said my mom is doing better then most people and with her agressive type of lung cancer she can cure it but she has to finish her 6 months of chemo and possibly have radaition to the brain as a preventative measure so it doesnt spread at the end of her chemo. Mom is ready for the long haul but doc is very optimistic and so is my mother. She has lost most of her hair and mom is really taking it hard but we are going to buy her a wig this week, thanks for everyone posting and listening!
I think the only opinion that should count is your mothers. If she is willing to stay on chemo then she should. I have had stage 4 colon cancer in the colon, liver and lungs, now in the liver and lungs.
I did 16 months total of chemo and at times wished for death because it would be better than what I was enduring doing chemo but I knew it was only temporary. I have since refused anymore chemo because it quit working. I was suffering and the cancer kept growing. I had been on it so long that it quit working which all chemo drugs do after a while.
I am really interested in the alternative stuff your mom is getting, it sounds like it may do some good. What is it called? You said it only works with chemo though?
Thanks for your comment on my blog. I live in Florida too. Palm Harbor, up near Clearwater. Hard to beat our beaches but it sure was nice to get away.
Thanks
Donna
Go to: http://crazysexycancer.blogspot.com/
I got your post off my blog.
Yes, I did check out the alternative therapy. Me and a friend of mine also with stage 4 inoperable cancer have talked seriously about going to Argentina. On their website I missed the exact components of this if they are there but I truly believe this direction is where they will find a cure for all cancers.
I will keep you posted. I need to see how far ahead of time they are booked and how much it would cost to go.
Thanks for the info
Donna